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Lewis, Rangers Need to Finish Off Rays

The Rangers have tasted success and the 50,000 plus filling Rangers Ballpark this afternoon, and the millions watching on television, are hoping the team continues that success with another win this afternoon.

That's how long Rangers fans have waited for this moment; an opportunity to win a playoff series and advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time in club history.

Lke everyone else around baseball I've been pleasantly surprised with how things have gone in this series, but the job has not been finished.

The Rangers have tasted success and the 50,000 plus filling Rangers Ballpark this afternoon, and the millions watching on television, are hoping the team continues that success with another win this afternoon.

Texas hands the ball to former top prospect Colby Lewis who has very quietly had a remarkable season in which he could have won more than 15 games had the Rangers offense scored more than a handful of runs for him in the secoond half.

Both the Rangers and the Rays have been saying the right things since Texas took game two in Tampa on Thursday, but the reality of the situation is this.

Texas needs one more win to close this series out and send Tampa and their best record in baseball home for the winter.

One win is all they need, but the Rangers and manager Ron Washington will tell you the last one is the hardest to get.

The Rays have pride, and rightfully so after not only winning the toughest division in all of sports, but putting up the best record in baseball in the process.

Lewis knows this.

The Rays are not going to lay down for the boys in red this afternoon, Texas is going to have to take it like they did in Tampa.

In front of what is sure to be the largest crowd in the history of Rangers Ballpark, the hometown kids can seize the moment and grow up with every claw and antler moment and Colby Lewis can do what must be done.

Slam the door shut on the Rays.

Tampa is very capable of winning three in a row, even with Cliff Lee looming in game five if they extend it that far.

Lewis knows that and the Rangers know that despite the national press openly salivating over a possible Texas, New York ALCS.

This isn't over and Lewis has to end it today.

All it takes is one win to get a team like Tampa going, but it also only takes one win to send them home.

The Rangers have never been in this position before, but that doesn't matter to this group.

They've already proven playoff experience means nothing to them, why should anything else that could happen in these playoffs be any different.

This team is ready.

The fans are more than ready.

It's all up to Colby Lewis this afternoon.

Another dominant start by a Rangers starter and the team will finally win it's first playoff series and the Rays will head home wondering what happened.

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